


5 Times People Thought Dean and Cas Were Married

by profoundfangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel/Dean Winchester First Kiss, Domestic, M/M, Sam Winchester Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, Screen Reader Friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:41:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28745643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/profoundfangirl/pseuds/profoundfangirl
Summary: Why do complete strangers keep thinking Dean and Cas are together?
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 18
Kudos: 245
Collections: Dean/Cas Tropefest 2021 Mid-Winter 5k





	5 Times People Thought Dean and Cas Were Married

Lebanon was a small midwestern town that was barely a blip on most maps. For entertainment purposes Dean had found a small movie theatre in Hastings, about an hour away, and loved to go when they weren’t busy working a case. Especially because this small theatre had runs of classic movies on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Dean had taken Sam, Cas, and Jack to see _Jaws_ , _Rocky_ , and _Empire Strikes Back_ in the past couple months. But tonight was _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ and Dean was so excited for some vintage Harrison Ford action. Even if Sam and Jack had decided not to come and be lore nerds at home instead.

Dean waited in line with Cas at the concession counter, which doubled as the box office in this small theatre, but it saved him a trip because having snacks during a movie was the law.

“Is this the movie about the archaeology professor who hunts for treasure?” Cas asked.

“It’s one of them, yeah.”

“But you made me watch this one already. So why are we here?”

“Sometimes you just want the full movie theatre experience, trust me,” Dean said, clapping Cas on the shoulder.

“Of course I do Dean,” Cas said, giving him a smile.

“Next please,” called the attendant.

“I’ll take two tickets for _Raiders_ , a large popcorn, large root beer, and a box of Reese’s Pieces please.”

The clerk handed over the candy and soda quickly while another turned to get their popcorn and Dean nodded when they asked if he wanted butter.

“You know that’s not real butter,” commented Cas.

“Tastes good anyway,” Dean said with a grin handing Cas his candy and one of the tickets.

Cas rolled his eyes playfully but took the items from Dean’s hand, their fingers brushing as he did so.

“I’ll go find us seats,” he said.

“But make sure they -”

“Middle, back row, I know,” Cas interrupted, already moving toward the theatre.

Dean drummed his fingers on the counter in time to a Zeppelin song that had gotten stuck in his head. He picked up his soda to take a sip. He turned to see the two attendants leaning close together and whispering to each other.

But not whispering quietly enough because he caught the end of their conversation.

“I know - aren’t they the cutest couple? They’re adorable together.”

Dean almost choked on his root beer.

* * *

A few weeks later in Colorado the team was on what they thought was a witch case. But they hadn’t found any hex bags so far. Sam was at the motel trying to get in touch with Rowena to see if she knew anyone in the area. Which left Dean and Cas questioning a witness who had seen one of the victims vanish into thin air.

A female witness, with dark auburn hair and brown eyes, who seemed to have the hots for Cas. She tried to turn everything he was saying into a joke or an innuendo. And she kept playing with her hair and smiling at him. Cas was polite, trying to keep up their appearance as police detectives, and not giving her much attention. But that didn’t seem to throw her off.

When she leaned into Cas’ side, pressing her cleavage against his arm, Dean saw red for a second. He quickly grabbed Cas by his free hand and pulled him over to the doorway of the living room they were in.

“Give us one minute,” he told the witness.

Then he stepped closer to Cas and said in a lower voice, “She’s not gonna leave you alone, so why don’t you head out to the Impala and I’ll finish the interview. I’ll just tell her you had to check in with our boss.”

“I’m not gonna argue with that,” Cas said, sounding relieved and gave Dean a smile as he walked to the front door.

“Uh oh. What happened to Detective Page,” the woman asked when Dean returned alone.

“ _My partner_ had to go make a phone call to headquarters,” Dean said, folding his arms across his chest and trying to look serious so hopefully he could get this damn interview over as soon as possible and go grab a burger with Cas.

“Your partner?”

The woman picked up on the way Dean was standing, and something in his tone of voice, and her mouth quickly opened in surprise.

“Gosh I didn’t know you two were together _together_. I’m sorry. Neither of you wear rings, so I assumed -” she cut off her own thought and seemed to change topic mid-sentence, “I see if you’re undercover you might not be able to wear jewelry that would give it away. I get it. Don’t worry Detective I won’t say another word about it.”

Dean could only nod with a gruff, “thanks,” in return.

* * *

“I’m not spending my entire Sunday building furniture.”

“But we need more bookshelves in the library. And one in the kitchen for all the cookbooks _someone_ has been collecting.”

This last was said with a sideways look in Dean’s direction.

“This stuff isn’t even good quality, Cas,” Dean argued, trying to get the frustrated tone out of his voice.

He wasn’t actually upset at Cas, but there was something about wandering a store full of weird Swedish furniture and knick knacks that had made him cranky. Now they had to pick out their own box in a warehouse full of pallets and take it home to assemble it themselves.

Dean was pretty sure a demon had invented Ikea.

“We’re already here, and I’m not going to another store today. I’m going to pick out the _Brimnes_ \- end of discussion.”

Cas strode off down the aisle to find their purchase. Dean stood there, shaking his head, knowing that whatever Cas brought back they were going to spend the day building it and that Dean wouldn’t leave him to do it alone.

“Don’t worry,” said a thin voice from beside Dean, and when he turned to look there was a lady who only reached his elbow, with grey curly hair, looking up at him.

“My husband and I had our fair share of arguments and we were together for forty-five years. How long have the two of you been together?”

She smiled up at Dean, blinking at him through her thick glasses. He opened his mouth to correct her but what came out instead was -

“Almost ten years.”

She patted Dean’s arm politely.

“You’ll make it another thirty at least, I can tell.”

“Thanks,” Dean said, trying to give her what he hoped was a friendly smile even though he felt like a deer frozen in headlights.

* * *

“Just try it on, Cas.”

“I don’t see what difference it makes what I’m wearing, Dean. As long as my vessel stays covered for modesty purposes, the suit is fine.”

“Sometimes we need to blend into places and walking around with a guy in a giant trench coat is kind of a give away.”

Cas stared at the clothes hangers for a moment as though he wanted to smite them, but snatched them out of Dean’s hands and went into the changing room. Tinny pop music blasted out of the department store speakers, offending Dean’s eardrums.

Cas came out of the changing room, wearing a Winchester tuxedo consisting of a flannel shirt, plain t-shirt, and jeans. It was a pretty basic outfit but it had been years since Dean had seen Cas in anything but his oversized suit and trench coat so he couldn’t help but stare a little. There was something in particular about the jeans that Dean was having trouble tearing his eyes away from - maybe because they were so ordinarily human or because Dean could see how defined Cas’ thighs looked in them which made him wonder how much muscle he had been packing under loose fitting clothes all these years.

“Everything okay?” asked the sales associate, who had appeared while Dean’s brain was on vacation.

“I think so,” said Cas, “But I’m not used to wearing jeans. Are they meant to fit like this?”

Cas lifted up his shirts, showing how the denim hugged his hips and flashed them a sliver of his stomach. Then he turned around to show the fit on the back and Dean suddenly had to clear his throat and couldn’t help but shift his weight where he stood.

“Looks great,” he said, willing Cas to cover himself back up, and hoping his voice didn’t sound as high-pitched as it did in his head.

“If you say so, I’ll buy them,” Cas said, turning to go back into the changing room

“It’s nice to see couples shopping together,” the associate said, “Let me know if you need anything else.”

They turned to leave and Dean stared after them, a little bit in shock. This was becoming all too regular of an occurrence with Cas. He should probably start correcting people, or mention it to Cas or someone.

Then Dean remembered how good Cas looked in regular clothes and kind of forgot about everything else for the rest of the day.

* * *

There were a few things in life Dean Winchester was grateful for; his family, his car, and 24-hour roadside diners. Even at one o’clock in the morning, after taking out a vamp nest, he could order a short stack of pancakes, with a side of bacon and sausage. He’d earned it.

Dean poured maple syrup over the entire plate - the sugar enhanced the salty flavors of the meat too, everyone knew that - and slid the bottle across the table bumping into Cas’ elbow as he did. They were sharing one side of the cramped booth, while Sam and Jack were sitting across from them.

Dean dipped a sausage link in a pool of syrup and took a big bite.

“Gross dude,” Sam commented.

He was saved from Dean’s rebuttal by the waiter coming over to refill their coffee. But when he reached over to fill Dean’s mug Cas stopped him with a hand over the top.

“He’s good,” Cas said.

“What the hell Cas?”

“If you drink anymore you’ll never get to sleep tonight,” Cas said to Dean.

“I’m still thirsty though.”

“Then switch to decaf. Or better yet, have some milk. You need the calcium.”

Dean was aware of Sam silently laughing at him out of the corner of his eye as he tried to stare down an angel over his choice of beverage. But Cas wasn’t blinking, and Dean didn’t feel like arguing.

“I’ll have a glass of milk, please,” he told the waiter with a tight smile.

Now Sam was really laughing at him.

“It’s sweet to have someone who cares about you. You remind me of my parents,” said the waiter, as he turned to go collect Dean’s new drink.

Dean almost choked on his sausage and Sam didn’t stop laughing for five minutes.

* * *

They got back to Lebanon about two hours later. Jack asked Cas to look at a lore book he had in his room. Dean watched them walk down the hallway and put a hand out on Sam’s shoulder to stop him.

“Sam, can I ask you something?”

“Now Dean? It’s so late. I just want to go to bed,” Sam said, shifting his duffle bag on his shoulder.

But Sam had gotten to take a nap in the Impala, while Dean drove and chewed over his thoughts for the past eighty miles. He needed to say something now before he talked himself out of it.

“It’s kind of important, something that’s bugging me about Cas.”

Sam must have sensed his seriousness, and the fact that Dean never brought up these kinds of topics unprompted. He dropped his bag on the map table and gestured for Dean to follow him into the library where they could sit across from each other at one of the long tables.

There happened to be a bottle of whiskey and two glasses sitting there, and Dean helped himself to a shot of liquid courage as he decided where to begin.

“It’s so weird, Sam - lately people keep thinking Cas and I are _together_. Like we’re a couple or ask if we’re married. Like that waiter at the diner tonight. It’s not the first time something like that has happened recently.”

“Have you thought about what it is about the two of you that makes people think that?”

“What are you trying to say Sam?”

“You and Cas are close, you’ve known each other for a decade, maybe you’ve gotten so comfortable around each other people think you could be a couple.”

“But why do they have to assume I’m banging a dude?”

“Is that why it bothers you?”

“I’m not gay, Sammy.”

“You know that’s not the only option, right?”

Dean gave him a death stare. This was not the conversation Dean had hoped to have. He thought Sam was going to tell him this was all in his imagination or something.

“Dean, I’m bisexual,” Sam said, breaking up Dean’s mental pity party.

“What? No you’re not.”

“I am too.”

“Since when?”

“Well, you know I’ve dated girls before, but have you also noticed the times I’ve flirted with the men on our cases?”

Dean was giving him a skeptical eyebrow, but Sam continued talking.

“Remember in Gabriel’s TV Land, how excited I was to see Doctor Sexy? Or Aaron Bass when I called him my ‘gay thing’. Or that time when my siren was a man.”

Sam stopped, giving Dean a moment to process. It was quiet enough in the Bunker to hear a pin drop.

“Sam - all of those things were me.”

Sam loved teaching others, but he believed in the power of letting them find their own conclusions. He looked at Dean, giving him a helpful _you can figure this out_ expression.

“Sam, I think I might be bisexual,” said Dean.

“I know. And I accept you for who you are,” Sam said, giving his brother a warm smile and a pat on the shoulder.

Dean huffed, sounding something like a laugh, and looked down at the floor. Sam thought he might have seen tears in the corners of his eyes, but didn’t comment on them for fear of Dean running away from the conversation.

“I gotta figure some things out I guess,” Dean said, running his palms down the front of his jeans.

“And I’m here if you need to talk, but right now it’s almost 3am so I’m going to bed. Good night Dean.”

“‘Night Sammy.”

Sam stopped in the doorway of the library and turned back to his brother.

“Oh, and Dean, for what it’s worth, I think you and Cas would make a great couple too.”

Dean huffed out another laugh and looked at his brother. Sam was smiling but not in a mean or teasing way.

“Goodnight bitch.”

“Jerk.”

With their brand of _I love you’s_ exchanged, Sam headed off to bed. Dean cradled his empty whiskey glass between both palms.

Dean knew he liked women. But he had always been a little curious about men, although he had never tried anything. And dreams about Doctor Sexy or Harrison Ford (or okay a couple times Cas - but he wasn’t telling anyone that) didn’t count. Looking at all the evidence now, it did make sense how Sam would see him as bisexual.

Dean wasn’t sure what label suited him best, but he knew that there was something about being around Cas that made him happy. Something that made him want to grab Cas by the arm or shoulder as often as possible or squeeze next to him on the sofa for movie nights. Something about Cas made Dean want to treat him differently than if he was family and more than a friend.

Dean looked down at his and Sam’s initials carved into the table. He ran his thumb over the lines on the table. Looked like there was room for a couple more names on that oak. He pulled out his pocket knife and started carving while he kept thinking.

* * *

“Dean wake up,” Cas said as he gently shook Dean’s shoulder.

He awoke with a snort and then immediately groaned at the position his neck had been in. Turns out passing out on top of the table hadn’t been a good decision.

“Dean, you should go to your own room and get some rest.”

Dean rubbed at the pinched muscle in his neck and blinked up at Cas. Most of the lights were off in the Bunker except the few desk lamps in the library, bathing the room in soft orange light and deep gray shadows. It made Cas look more ethereal and reminded him of that moment in Bobby’s kitchen years ago when Cas had been a soldier of Heaven.

Look how far they both had come.

“Hey Cas, I musta feel asleep out here after we got home.”

“You should go rest.”

“Actually, umm, I know it’s late but I kind of need to show you something.”

“I don’t sleep Dean. What is it?”

“I added the rest of my family to the table.”

Dean gestured and watched Cas’ expression as he turned to look at the carvings of his and Jack’s names next to the other Wincesters. There was a look of joy and wonder in those blue eyes that made Dean’s heart soar.

 _I did that_ , he thought to himself, and the proud feeling makes him want to do it again.

“You know you’re important to me, right Cas?”

Now those blue eyes are focused on Dean, and not for the first time he wondered if Cas was seeing him or something deeper inside of him. Maybe Cas has always seen the real Dean - more than anyone ever could or wanted to.

“Of course I do Dean.”

“And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, umm, but lately people have been thinking we’re a couple.”

“I did notice once or twice. I didn’t want to say anything for fear of upsetting you.”

“What if I said it’s made me curious?”

Cas tilts his head in that way of his, conveying his confusion at Dean’s meaning. Dean’s heart is beating fast and he doesn’t know if he has the capacity for many more words. Feeling bold, hoping he’s not making a mistake, Dean takes Cas’ hand in his own.

Such a simple thing - to hold someone’s hand - but a small pleasure that Dean has denied himself for years. He hopes he gets to keep it this time.

“Cas, would you like to try dating me - officially this time - and see how it goes?”

“I would like that Dean.”

* * *

That night they sleep (or Dean does anyway) holding hands in the dark. But it’s only sleep and taking comfort in being near each other.

When they get up five or six hours later, Dean stays close to Cas’ orbit; in the kitchen making everyone sandwiches or leaning over his shoulder when he’s looking up cases on Dean’s laptop.

This thing between them is new, but also has been there all along.

* * *

They go back to the diner a couple weeks later, but it’s just Dean and Cas this time. They’re sharing one piece of pie, even if Cas is sort of picking at the edges more than eating any. He’s doing it for appearances. Dean had asked Cas to sit on the same side of the booth again so they could hold hands under the table.

When the waiter from last time comes around to ask if they need anything, Dean puts his arm around Cas’ shoulder and smiles at the waiter with pride in his expression.

“My boyfriend and I will take the check, please.”

Dean can see Cas smiling out of the corner of his eye and it makes him so happy to know he’s the reason Cas feels the joy he deserves.

When they get back to the Impala, Dean puts the keys in the ignition but doesn’t start the engine.

“I like that you called me your boyfriend,” Cas says, reaching for Dean’s hand again.

“Yeah? I liked saying it too. Even though I haven’t gotten to kiss you yet.”

“You can fix that now, if you want.”

Dean leans over to kiss him and is delighted that Cas is already meeting him halfway. Cas’ lips are a little dry and they have to stretch a little too far to do much more than press their mouths together, but Dean is already addicted to the feeling.

They draw apart for air and Dean scoots towards the middle of the bench seat, bringing his arm behind Cas as they kiss again. This time Dean can slant their mouths together and tease Cas’ lips with his tongue. Cas’ mouth opens on a breathy sigh, and his hand comes to cup Dean’s jaw as if to hold him in place.

As if Dean had any intention of going anywhere.

They kiss for so long the windows of the Impala are fogged up when they pull apart and they have to sit in the parking lot with the defroster running for a few minutes for it to clear. The progress is slowed due to their additional kisses.

They sleep together again that night, like they have every night since Dean carved Cas’ name into that table. This night there may be less clothes than usual and more kisses pressed into each other’s skin - in secret places best exchanged in private.

Dean never thought he would have a boyfriend - certainly not his first one in his forties nor one who is an angel. But being with Cas makes him happy, and if he’s learned anything over the years it’s to accept every moment of happiness that life gives you.

There is something comforting in knowing that Cas is it for him. They have both hurt each other over the years, of course, but still ended up here - together. And he knows they are both going to try to make each other as happy as they can for the rest of time. Whether they try to legally get married or have some sort of private commitment ceremony one day, they’re going to be together forever. Dean is sure not even death will part them.

It’s the best Dean could have wished for in life. As he holds Cas close in bed, pressing kisses to his forehead as he fights sleep to be able to enjoy this night a moment longer, he counts himself so lucky that out of all the angels in Heaven he got Cas - the one who is his perfect partner.

THE BEGINNING

**Author's Note:**

> If you're looking for "And 1 Time They Were Married" vibes I wrote something like that seven years ago that might [fit that description](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082535).
> 
> This is my first Tropefest entry ever - thank you to the mods for a very organized and worry-free event!
> 
> You can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/profoundfangirl)


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